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OFFICIAL FFC® MMA RULES AND REGULATIONS
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Rounds

Every round is 5 minutes in duration with a one-minute rest period in-between rounds.

Attire

All competitors must fight in approved shorts, without shoes or any other sort of foot padding. Shirts, gis or long pants (including gi pants) are not allowed. Fighters must use approved light gloves (4-6 ounces) that allow fingers to grab. A mouthguard and protective cup (in the case of men) are also required and are checked by a State Athletic Committee official before being allowed to enter the cage/ring. Furthermore, approved leg and chest (in the case of women) protectors must be provided by the contestant.

Judging criteria

The ten-point must system is used for all fights. Three judges score each round with ten points to the winner and nine points or fewer to the other fighter.

At the end of the fight, each judge submits their total score for all rounds for each fighter, to determine the result by the following criteria.

  • Unanimous decision win: All three judges have the same fighter as the winner.
  • Majority decision win: Two judges have one fighter winning the fight and the third judge scores it a draw.
  • Split decision win: Two judges have one fighter winning the fight and the third judge has the other fighter winning it.
  • Unanimous draw: All three judges score it a draw.
  • Majority draw: Two judges score it a draw, and the third judge has a winner.
  • Split draw: One judge scores it a draw, and the other two judges have different winners.

Weight Categories

There are 7 classes of weight for fighters:

  • Bantamweight Class: Weight less or equal to 61kg
  • Featherweight (men) – between 135 and 145 lbs (61.2 kg and 65.7 kg).
  • Lightweight (men) – between 145 and 155 lbs (65.7 kg and 70.3 kg).
  • Welterweight (men) – between 155 and 170 lbs (70.3 kg and 77.1 kg).
  • Middleweight (men) – between 170 and 185 lbs (77.1 kg and 83.9 kg).
  • Light Heavyweight (men) – between 185 and 205 lbs (83.9 kg and 92.9 kg).
  • Heavyweight (men) – between 205 and 265 lbs (92.9 kg and 120.2 kg).

Fouls

As set out by the Association of Boxing Commissions:

  • Holding or grabbing the fence
  • Holding opponent’s shorts or gloves
  • Butting with the head
  • Biting or spitting at an opponent
  • Hair pulling
  • Fish-hooking
  • Intentionally placing a finger into any orifice, or into any cut or laceration of an opponent
  • Eye gouging of any kind
  • Groin attacks of any kind
  • Downward pointing of elbow strikes (see 12-6 elbow)
  • Small joint manipulation
  • Strikes to the spine or back of the head (see Rabbit punch)
  • Heel kicks to the kidney
  • Throat strikes of any kind, including, without limitation, grabbing the trachea
  • Clawing, pinching, twisting the flesh or grabbing the clavicle
  • Kicking the head of a grounded opponent (see Soccer kick)
  • Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent
  • Stomping on a grounded fighter
  • The use of abusive language in fighting area
  • Any unsportsmanlike conduct that causes an injury to opponent
  • Attacking an opponent during a break
  • Attacking an opponent who is under the care of the referee
  • Timidity (avoiding contact, consistent dropping of mouthpiece, or faking an injury)
  • Interference from a mixed martial artist’s cornerman
  • Throwing an opponent out of the ring or caged area
  • Flagrant disregard of the referee’s instructions
  • Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his or her head or neck (see Piledriver)
  • Attacking an opponent after the bell has sounded the end of the period of unarmed combat

When a foul is charged, the referee in their discretion may deduct one or more points as a penalty. If a foul incapacitates a fighter, then the match may end in a disqualification if the foul was intentional, or a “no contest” if unintentional. If a foul causes a fighter to be unable to continue later in the bout, it ends with a technical decision win to the injured fighter if the injured fighter is ahead on points, otherwise it is a technical draw.

Medical requirements

  • Contestants shall complete all pre-licensure medical examinations and tests required by the jurisdiction licensing the contest.
  • The jurisdiction licensing the contest shall conduct or supervise all pre-contest weigh-ins and may hold or supervise a rules meeting for all contestants and their cornermen.
  • Post-contest medical examination.
    • Immediately following a contest, each contestant shall be given a medical examination by a physician appointed by the commission. The medical examination may include any examinations or tests the commission deems necessary to determine the post-contest physical fitness of a contestant.
    • Any contestant who refuses to submit to a post-contest medical examination shall be immediately suspended for an indefinite period.

Prohibited substances

  • Use of prohibited substances: The use of any illegal drug, narcotic, stimulant, depressant, or analgesic of any description, or alcohol substance, by a contestant either before or during a match, shall result in the immediate disqualification of the contestant from the match and disciplinary action in accordance with the commission licensing the contest.
  • Detection of prohibited substances: In order to detect the presence of any prohibited substance, a contestant shall submit to any pre-contest or post-contest urinalysis or other laboratory procedure that is ordered by the physician appointed by the commission. Refusal to submit to such testing shall result in the immediate disqualification of the contestant from the match and an indefinite suspension from the sport of mixed martial arts.
  • Urinalysis:
    • All contestants may be ordered to complete a pre-contest urinalysis exam to detect the presence of any drug.
    • In addition to a pre-contest analysis, the local commission may, at its discretion, decide to test for the presence of performance enhancing drugs and thereby require additional urine specimens to be produced at any time after the completion of the contest.
    • Collection of specimens for urinalysis testing shall be conducted or supervised by a commission official. Refusal to submit to such testing shall result in the immediate disqualification of the contestant from the match and an indefinite suspension from the sport of mixed martial arts.

EXCLUSIVITY

Refers to fighters with long term contracts and belt holders:

Fighter agrees not to compete in any other fight, bout or martial arts competition without the express written consent of the FFC.  If the Fighter decides to fight in any other fight, bout or martial arts competition without the express written consent of the FFC the penalty is US$30,000 (Thirty Thousand United States Dollars).

In case the Fighter is FFC champion and fights in any other promotion and loses, he automatically loses his FFC title.